Tuesday, August 12, 2014

"Les Cigales" and Boutis Celebrate Summer

During our time in the south of France, one of the quintessential signs and sounds of summer that I waited for every year, was the return of "les cigales". Their steady, yearning lovesong (or chirring) announced the arrival of the long, hot sultry days and nights ahead. So here, in tribute to those little fellows that are right now singing their hearts out to some little lady cicada under the next leaf in our old neighbourhood in Montpellier, is my completed "les cigales" boutis needle fold.

Completed needle fold.

The needle fold opens to hold all of the needles required for my next boutis project. I was fortunate to find a piece of wool felt in the appropriate colour for my needle case. To secure it firmly, I machine stitched it into place while at the same time, giving the boutis piece a better crease for the fold.

I'm glad you like the cicadas. When we lived in Ohio I hated the d$%@ things! I always said that they screamed at me when I walked under the trees. At any rate, your boutis is lovely, even though it is of an insect. :)

I rather think that the French have the same opinion of cicadas that you have, but for me they were a novelty, and they became a comfortable, familiar background noise, that was accompanied by some of the most perfect summer weather I have experienced. Had I grown up with the constant "chirring", I may have the same opinion AS you. As usual, context has much to do with how we perceive things.